Lose One, Gain One
by RestlessWritings
Summary: Set in Season 11 Carter never left County for Kem, they broke up. Abby dates Jake Everything is finally okay in Abby's life until she receives a phone call that stirs her world up again. Who will be there when the dust settles to help her work through it.


_'Everything is okay'_ Abby Lockhart thought to herself as she lay in bed that morning, Jake sleeping beside her. She watched him sleep for a few moments, taking everything about him in, as if committing it to memory. He stirred awake, as if he felt her eyes on him. He yawned and stretched, rolling onto his side, his sleepy eyes opening and a small smile appeared onto his face, "Morning" he whispered to his audience, Abby.

"Morning." she replied with a small smile herself, he looked kinda cute so early in the morning. His brown hair all disheveled almost like a little boy's, the blankets pulled up around him. Right now she was happy.

"What are you thinking about so early this morning?" Jake asked sweetly, knowing that Abby was not a morning person. He swept back a locke of her brown hair away from her face as he awaited a response.

"Um..well, I was thinking about how for the first time in a very, very, long time things are okay in my world." Abby answered in a light tone, being honest with him about her thoughts.

Jake nodded, "Am I apart of the okay things in your world?" he asked curiously.

Abby sat up a little in bed and looked over at him, a confused expression on her face. "Yes. Why wouldn't you be?"

"I don't know..." he said. "I guess that sometimes when you're with me, I wonder if you're happy." This was all something that more than once Jake had wondered about.

Abby felt like she was experiencing deja vu, Luka, Carter, and now Jake had all at one time or another wondered if she was happy with them. She didn't want to go down this road with Jake. "Look, I am happy, and I'm trying to be really. But you have to understand I never had some great example of being happy and having a great relationship as a kid and even as an adult." she said, using that as her excuse when really she didn't know what her problem was.

"Let me show you, if you won't shut me out, I'll show you." Jake said honestly as he reached his hand over and took hers, planting a small tiny kiss on her. He got a smile out of her, which pleased him. He knew she doubted a lot of things and he had only heard bits and pieces of her life. At times she seemed broken and fragile and at others she seemed strong and determined, he had a hard time figuring out where he fit into it all.

Abby just nodded, not sure what she could say really, all he could do was try and all she could was let him. "I gotta get ready for work." she said as she turned off the alarm that was due to go off in five minutes and grabbed some clothing for a shower.

"Mind if I join you?" Jake asked, standing up in all his glory.

Abby laughed, "I do mind because if you get in there like that , I am liable to want to stay in there longer and the next thing you know I'm late for work." she said with a grin.

"Well I have to go in too , so I figured we could kill two birds with one stone." Jake said, attempting to plea his case.

"But won't it look suspicious if we both come in at the same time?" Abby asked, still a little wary of everyone knowing about their relationship for one reason or another.

"Won't it look even more suspicious if I show up dirty in the same clothes I wore the night before? Atleast could be clean and in the same clothing I wore last night." Jake said, knowing he could win this one.

"Jackass." she said tossing a pillow over at him from off the bed as she nodded, agreeing to let him into the shower with her. They took their shower, both getting ready and dressed for work, fresh and clean. "Alright seriously come on, if I'm late again because of you Weaver will have my head served on a silver platter." she called out from by the front door, Jake up in the bedroom getting his shoes on.

"Hey, you're not completely innocent here, you do a good job of making your own self late." he said as he ran down the stairs.

"Oh yeah, how so?" Abby asked as they walked out of her apartment and down to the El.

"By giving me looks, and kissing me, and various other actions I won't say because we're in a public place." Jake teased her, a warm mischevious smile upon his face.

"Fine, I just won't kiss you and look at you anymore." she said pretending to be hurt by that, all the while looking away to hide her wry smile.

"Oh you're not getting off that easy." Jake said as he whipped around and grabbed her, pausing on the side walk to lay a tiny kiss on her. Abby paused alright and wrapped her arms around him, hesitantly at first though but she did fall into it after a moment or so.

"Now its your fault we're late." she whispered as they parted, continuing on to the El to County.The ride seemed to be short today for once, which she was grateful for, she was five minutes late already and didn't really want to add on to time. They got off and approached County, both having these little grins on their faces as if they were the only two people in the world sharing some hilarious joke. "Alright, now seriously you have to cut it out." she laughed, playfully hitting him, as they walked through the doors.

"Cut what out?" Jake asked, holding his arm where she had hit him, wincing a little, she didn't hit like a girl.

"That smile, and laugh." Abby said as they went into the lounge, it seemed to be all eyes were on them.

"You're doing the same thing." Jake said, defending himself.

"Only because you're making me, so STOP." Abby said with a laugh as she opened up her locker and put her things in, getting out her lab coat and stethescope.

"Fine, fine." Jake said with an exaggerated sigh, getting out his things as well.

Abby rolled her eyes, swatting him on the butt and getting to work.

"See you do start it." he called out as she headed out the door.

Abby went up to admit where Pratt handed her several charts, "Why don't you spread some of that morning cheer to the patients, we got a head lac in 4, chest pain in 3." he said handing her the charts.

She took the charts, not really caring today for some reason, and maybe that was apparent because before she knew it Haleh and Chuny were giving her these looks, talking amongst themselves. "Alright do I have toilet paper stuck to my shoe, a kick me sign on my back or something?" she asked with a laugh.

"No, we were just talking about Jake is all." Haleh said suspiciously.

"What about him?" Abby asked.

"Well we think he wore that outfit yesterday." Chuny answered, wanting to see Abby's reaction.

"Oh well, I dunno guess you'd have to ask him." she said, looking down somewhat.

"Yeah I guess, and Abby?" Haleh started off with a laugh.

"Yeah?" she asked.

"Is that a hickie?" Haleh now asked full on laughing.

Abby took out a mirror looking on her neck, damn him. "Alright enough enough, you've had your fun, back to work." she said scurrying off, able to hear the laughter in the background. They were all happy for her, glad to see her smiling and with someone again after being left behind by Carter. She had really taken charge of her own life now, and appeared to be doing alright for once.

Abby got back to work, trying to get past the morning antics but even she had to admit it was a little funny. Things between Jake were nice, light and fun which was a definite change for her. There were some things she couldn't talk with him about yet, things he didn't know and honestly she didn't want him to know. It seemed the mere thought or mention of Maggie, or Eric brought down a load of emotional baggage and mess so she tried not to worry or think about things too much. She had a life to live of her own and was somewhat tired of waisting it trying to help someone who didn't want to be helped. Her day passed by relatively fast, a few traumas here and there but mainly just run of the mill cases. The day had been nice, happy and good, a first for her actually. Her shift was now over and she was in the lounge getting ready to go when Jake rushed in. "Where's the fire?" she asked looking at him as she took off her lab coat.

"My sister, something happened and I gotta go." Jake said hurridly.

"Do you need me to go with you?" Abby asked, being the dutiful girlfriend.

"No, no, I don't know how long I'll be gone. I'll call you tonight, let you know about things." he said giving her a quick peck on the cheek.

"Okay, be careful." she said softly as he exited quickly. She continued to get ready to go home, she just wanted a nice hot bath, pajamas and her tv, that sounded about good right now. Just as she was about to head out the door Malik came in, "Abby you got a phone call." he said.

"who is it?" she asked, she rarely got phone calls at work.

"Some guy about your mom." he said.

She rolled her eyes in disbelief. '_You have got to be kidding me. One good day goes by, a merely mention her in passing thought and here she comes ready to wreck something else.'_ Abby thought to herself, "Alright,I'll take it in here." she said as she walked over to the phone. "Yes, this is Abby Lockhart." she answered softly, the different scenarios playing in her head.

"Hi Ms. Lockhart, this is Joy Strickland, your mother's land lady." Joy said as politely as she could.

"Hi, is there something wrong, did she forget to pay rent or something?" Abby asked, expecting to have to shell out some cash to fix whatever Maggie did or didn't do.

Joy took on an even softer tone, "No, nothing like that. I'm so sorry to have to do this but we found your mother in her apartment this morning, she's passed away." she said.

Abby was silent for a few moments, unsure of what to think or say, everything seemed to freeze in her mind.

"Ms. Lockhart?" Joy said on the other line, "You still there?"

"Yes, I'm here." Abby said softly. "When, why, what happened?" she finally asked, her tone quiet and light.

"I'm not sure to be honest, I'm so sorry for your loss." Joy said appologetically.

"Thank you, I uh, I'll be down later on alright?" Abby replied.

"Alright, once again I'm sorry." Joy said.

"Okay." Abby whispered, hanging up the phone, sitting there and staring off into space.


End file.
